The San Pedro Sun

Sewer Pump Lift Transfer Station Almost CompletedThe Belize Water Service Limited (BWS) is on its last phase of completing construction of the Sewage Transfer Station on Bonefish Street at Boca del Rio area of San Pedro. The area has been labeled as Zone 1 and the Pump-lift Station will improve the quality of service for residents in the area when it comes to sewage treatment. This project will also reduce the risk of contamination to the water bed due to sewage seepage. Works on the building site started on August 2014 in a government owned parcel of land. The acquisition of this lot was possible through the efforts of The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC). The station will collect all waste material and pump it to the adjacent zone’s sewer system.
According to BWS, the scope of this project entails the installation of this new pumping station which will include inlet manholes connecting it to the existing sewage collection network. The installation of the pump is presently in an advanced stage, with the installation of all electrical connections coming up. The company again reiterated the benefit this project will have on residents of the area. The sewage waste will be more controlled, properly collected and dealt with and it will alleviate the stench secreted by the waste. Not to mention that with this improvement in the quality of sewage treatment, the local environment will be less prone to any hazardous waste leakage.
In a press release, BWS stated that once the sewer lift pumping station is completed, a survey will follow in order to determine how many residences and businesses will be connected to the station. This will come with a connection fee, which has yet to be revealed.

Danielle Neal receives Queen’s AwardOn Monday, June 22nd, Queen Elizabeth II along with Princess Beatrice of York, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, hosted an award ceremony and reception to celebrate this year’s exceptional Queen Young Leaders awardees. Among the 60 awardees from across the Commonwealth, was Belizean Danielle Neal, who was awarded by Her Majesty for doing remarkable work in the Belizean communities which have helped many young women to improve their lives.
Neal was privy to a special experience in London, England. The awards were issued out at the Buckingham Palace, and the awardees spent time at Cambridge University meeting key people as well as visiting Downing Street. Neal was mentored in hopes of improving her charitable works in Belize.

WWE Superstars vacation in San PedroAmbergris Caye is become quite the celebrity hot spot, with several public figures choosing La Isla Bonita as their vacation destination. Among those celebrity vacationers was 50-year-old Mark Calaway, better known by his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) ring name The Undertaker. Calaway and his wife, retired WWE Diva Michelle McCool, were spotted at the Philip Goldson International Airport on Monday, June 22nd at around 4PM waiting for their connecting flight to San Pedro Town onboard Maya Island Air.
Calaway is an iconic American professional wrestler who employs scare tactics and links to the supernatural. He has won multiple championship belts in the WWE and is synonymous for “The Streak”, an unprecedented run of 21 straight victories at WWE’s annual Wrestle Mania (the biggest event of the industry). He was also winner of the 2007 Royal Rumble, is a four-time WWE World Champion, three-time World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time United States Wrestling Association Unified World Heavyweight Champion.
McCool also has quite an impressive portfolio in the WWE. She is a former two-time WWE Divas Champion, a two-time WWE Women’s Champion and a one-time Diva of the Year. McCool and Calaway tied the knot on June 26, 2010. She retired from WWE about a year later in May 2011 following severe injuries. McCool and Calaway have one daughter together, Kaia Calaway, who was born on August 29, 2012.

SPRCS male football team place 3rd at NationalsAfter emerging victorious at the Belize District Primary School Football Championship the San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRCS) male football team went on to the National Primary Championship which took place on Wednesday, June 17th in Belize City. While the boys were not able to claim the championship, they still returned home with a commendable 3rd place prize.
In the District Finals held on Tuesday June 9th at the MCC Grounds, San Pedro was represented by both female and male teams from SPRCS. The female squad won over the Belize City champions, Holy Redeemer 4-2 in penalty kicks. Shalini Young, Mayranite Panti, Eric Pop and Babee Lopez scored for SPRCS, while the boys won over the Belize City champions, St Joseph’s RC with a clean 4-0. Dixon Paguada, Ian Pou, Jason Sorto and William Madrid were the protagonists of the goals. However, in the girls’ finals, the Belize Elementary School (BES) girls won over SPRCS girls with a score of 2-1 during penalties. Then in the boys’ finals, the SPRCS boys won 2-1 over Hattieville Government with goals scored by Dixon Paguada and Wilson Cruz. With these results, the girls remained as sub-champions while the boys advanced to the Nationals.

The Reporter

PM says GOB has given public servants 19 percent salary increasePrime Minister Dean Barrow, during Friday’s House Sitting, boasted that his administration has raised teachers’ and public officers’ salaries and increments by a cumulative 19 percent in just two fiscal years.
According to Barrow, that 19 percent represents a $72 million increase in salaries being paid out to teachers and public servants. He estimated that to be an additional $6,000 per year being paid to each and every teacher and public servant.
“A $72 million wage increase in two years for 12,000 Belizean workers has simply never happened before in this country, never ever,” Barrow gloated.
He added that the increase has boosted spending power, stimulating the economy citing figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), which most recently indicate that inflation is at -1 percent. Barrow said with no foreseeable spike in inflation the purchasing power of those 12,000 Belizeans has gone up significantly.
Barrow said the teachers and public officers are the single most valuable element in the unceasing endeavor of United Democratic Party (UDP) nation building and government. He also took the time to take a shot at the former administration comparing his eight year in office, giving salary increases, to the former People’s United Party’s (PUP) eighth year in office where they were requesting salary cuts.

Belize Weather: Expect clear skies this weekendThe National Met. Service of Belize is predicting mainly dry and fair conditions for the next 24 hours in the country. The 24 hour forecast is for mostly sunny during the daytime and partly cloudy tonight. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to be isolated. Winds will blow from East at […]

P.M. hopes new legislation will solve cruise impasse
Cruise developer Michael Feinstein is suing the Government of Belize and Fort Street Tourism Village over certain provisions in the amended agreement between the latter two that purport to offer security to the Village in both revenue from the head tax collected on passengers by the Belize Tourism […]

P.G. Garinagu charge BWS with discrimination
Approximately 200 residents of what is known as the St. Vincent Block in Punta Gorda Town, an enclave of Garifuna, are up in arms with Belize Water Services Limited (BWS) over alleged discriminatory practices. They believe that the company or the Government should compensate them for the thousands […]

15 year old Tyrique Thompson dies from shooting injuries
Shooting victim Tyrique Thompson, 15, of Belize City, died of his injuries in hospital on Friday afternoon after falling into a coma since his admittance to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He had been shot in the head Monday night on Lakeview Street near Vernon Street. His mother, […]

Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary School Needs Your HelpBy Charles Leslie Jr. My wife and I have a 5 year old daughter that is attending the Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary School in the capital city of Belmopan, Belize. We are proud that the faculty works really hard to give our children a great education. Unfortunately, the school does […]

Melvin Hulse still has a home in the UDP says PM BarrowYesterday PM Barrow told the media in Belmopan that Melvin Hulse, the former standard bearer for the Stann Creek West division still has a place in the United Democratic Party (UDP). Hulse resigned on Thursday as Standard Bearer for the UDP after he was exposed in a recording on Monday […]

San Pedro Snapshot Saturday and Sun?It has been a grey week and the last two days, we’ve seen quite a bit of rain. Which reminds me that the rainy season is SO HARD TO DEFINE. Actually, that’s not true…it’s quite easy. Hurricane season (or “the season that can be rainy”) is June 1st to November 30th. It CAN rain during this time.
But I get so many emails…people asking if it is okay to visit in July or September…and I always say YES! But the truth, the cold hard truth is, you may see rain. But then…I still think the odds of sun are much better.
So…with San Pedro Lobsterfest over…and Caye Caulker’s this weekend. It was a grey weekjust to be. Life is not always exciting events in Belize…just most of the time.
ANYWAY…here are snapshots…most already on Instagram of my grey week. Lots of plants…and well…as usual food.
Feeding Wish Willies my well aged bananas.

Belize’s Chaa Creek Wins at 2015 Interactive Media Awards!The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Belize’s eco resort website, chaacreek.com has received a prestigious recognition as winner of the ‘Outstanding Achievement’ Award in the Hotel/Resort category at the 2015 Interactive Media Awards – one of the IMAs highest honors.
The new website, designed by Avatar New York was launched on January 12th 2015, carries across much of the same content as the previous site, it has a fresh new look, enhanced functionality and was developed for a busy, increasingly mobile clientele.

San Ignacio, Cayo's Best Food SpotsSan Ignacio town, or as it’s locally known “Cayo”, is the ideal place to go in Belize if you are seeking adventure. This small quaint town acts a hub for travelers in search of jungle expeditions, tours to ancient Maya cities, caves and countless other eco activities that get you up close to nature. Visitors are also treated to a glimpse of how diverse Belizean culture is. A few ways to experience this is by strolling down Burns Avenue (the main street) and seeing how locals interact, another is by visiting the farmers’ market on Saturdays, but my favourite approach is by eating at the local restaurants and bars. Below are nine of the best restaurants in San Ignacio, Cayo.

Oxtail Chili BurgersMom suggested this spicy, savory sandwich made from 3 dishes I've already made at the site. This chili is made from Oxtails rather than ground beef. With this homemade sandwich bread this meal is finger licking good.

Videos

Belize it or not, 6min. The trip kicks off in the middle of the Jungle near Belmopan at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch Lodge(scary sound track courtesy of the local Howler Monkeys) Then on to Belize City, San Pedro, and Caye Caulker

Best of Belize - Class of 2015 Senior Trip, 6min. 16 Seniors, 7 days, 2 Chaperones and infinite memories.
^Too corny? :D
I couldn't get in all the clips I wanted to, but I hope this serves to remind you of the amazing times we had together in Belize!

7 Days in Belize - Belizean Vacation Highlights, 4min. Highlights from our vacation in Belize. We stayed at the Almond Beach Resort near Hopkins, Belize. The video features locations such a a Bocawina Falls rainforest hike, barrier reef snorkeling, a visit to the Bocawina Rainforest Resort for the longest zip line in the country, as well as the Mayan ruins at Nim Li Punit (Big Hat).